Young people’s ‘unfiltered’ view of cancer in new film

“Cancer shouldn’t be a scary word, and we should be able to talk about it.” Those are the words of young people urging a better understanding of the disease among their peers and a call for more education to dispel the myths around it.

And clinicians agree that while cancer is rare in young people and very treatable with excellent cure rates, there are still many misconceptions.

As part of its focus on education and prevention, South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw’s Shows Up partnership strategy has released a powerful short film highlighting the stories of three young people affected by cancer.

Entitled Unfiltered: Exploring Cancer, the film features Rose, Natasha and Szymon who talk openly about their experiences and urge others not to be scared to ask questions or start conversations among their families, friends and in educational settings.

Rose was diagnosed twice with breast cancer in her twenties and says it’s important to talk about it with family and friends: “If you’re not sure what to say then just say something. Don’t ghost. It’s about trying to stay connected.”

Natasha has been treated successfully for a rare ovarian cancer diagnosed when she was 22, and she isn’t afraid to use humour to ‘pull the cancer card’: “We can be a bit cheeky with it but that’s the aim – to open up the conversation in a way people haven’t thought about it before.”

And Syzmon said it took him a while to talk to others about his cancer: “No one was asking questions. They were too scared to offend or upset me. I need someone to talk to – if I don’t it will crush me from the inside.”

Local GP Louise Millington explains what cancer is and dispels a common myth she often hears from young people that cancer is contagious. It’s not.

She says: “Some think if we start to look at it or you say it, it’s almost going to make it true, or more likely and obviously that’s not the case. If you’re worried seek help and ask questions. It’s important to know that there’s no such thing as a stupid question.”

The film was first screened exclusively to health and social care students at Sheffield College with guests including the SYB Children and Young People’s Alliance, Weston Park Cancer Charity, Children’s Care Group and the SYB Cancer Alliance among others.

Emma Clarke, CEO of the Weston Park Cancer Charity said: “I loved the voice of the young people coming through everything from debunking some myths around cancer to providing a real view into the reality of it from their experience.”

Alana, a Health and Social Care student at the college, said: “We don't often get the perspective of people who are not too far in age from us, and I think that’s really powerful.

Nicola Ennis from the SYB Children and Young People’s Alliance said: “I particularly love the friendship groups having a conversation with each other and just how they would support one another and talk about it together and the importance of really speaking up.”

You can view the film here on the SYB Shows Up YouTube channel.

Commenting on her part in the film, Natasha said: “Being in the room with everyone watching is a bit weird. I can talk about it no problem, but watching it back, it makes me like a bit more emotional.

“But it's really nice that people are actually asking questions and trying to see what they can do to help and make the process better for other people. It’s really reassuring.”

Natasha also recently acted as an advisor for a storyline on the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks where one of its characters is being treated for ovarian cancer.

You can find out more in this BBC article

Everyone who talks about their feelings and experiences in the Unfiltered film said cancer wasn’t talked about in schools beyond a basic understanding at GCSE level. 

The Shows Up partnership has worked with experts over the past year to develop and produce a variety of educational resources which are being shared by schools and charities and include lesson plans and guides for young people.

Visit www.sybshowsup.com